HISTORY TIP OF THE DAY

Battle of Manila begins, February 3rd, 1945

The month-long action saw the worst urban fighting in the Pacific Theater.
Even though General Tomoyuki Yamashita has ordered Japanese forces to evacuate the city, rogue elements under his command refuse to obey. A large group of Japanese sailors and marines join them in fighting the Americans to the last man. They have mined the streets. Concealed snipers shoot Americans on sight. Many have become obsessed with brutalizing the citizens of Manila before they die. Even as they fight for control of the city, the Japanese are systematically murdering as many innocent residents as possible. The number of such deaths has been estimated from 100,000 to more than 500,000.

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